


Happiness

by Kindred Dragon (JamesPeppersalt)



Category: Rune Factory 3: A Fantasy Harvest Moon
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Angst, Loss of loved ones, M/M, Post-Rune Factory 3, Sadness
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-07
Updated: 2017-08-13
Packaged: 2018-09-14 17:03:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,472
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9195356
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JamesPeppersalt/pseuds/Kindred%20Dragon
Summary: Before Micah could unite the races, Raven- the love of his life, and Gaius's only family- was taken. Being the hero he was, Micah confronted the Dragon God Aquaticus to bring her back and return to bring life back to the Sharance Tree.But Micah returned without his love. The Sharance tree never bloomed, and he hasn't been the same since.As much as Gaius misses Raven, he never expected just how much he'd miss Micah.





	1. My Heart is Calling Out

**Author's Note:**

> An AU where Micah never saved Raven. (This is already making me sad. But I wanted my dwarf husband and I'm upset that I had to wait until RF4 to get one.)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gaius visits Micah for the first time since Raven's death. Neither of them is taking it well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rune Factory needs a larger fanbase. Before you bask in the sadness of this fic, SPREAD THE WORD: RF is AWESOME.

Gaius set down his hammer, wiping sweat from his brow. Another productive day at the forge...

A quiet one, too.

He turned, examining his stock.

Still more than yesterday.

Nowadays, he sold very little.

And it was always so quiet in the shop.

Gaius sighed, took a deep breath, and smiled. There was no need to be down. He was fine... Sharance was fine.

Besides, if no one needed weapons, it just meant that no one was in any danger, and that everyone was at peace.

Sitting down nearby, Gaius removed his gloves and wiped his hands off on an old rag, still heavy with sweat and grime from previous work days. It was no secret that he wasn't in as good of shape as he'd been a year ago. But he was holding up. That was more than could be said for Micah.

Gaius looked forlornly to the section of the shop where Raven would sit, selling the things he made.

...It had been a long time since anyone had sat there.

He shook his head. He didn't need to think about that. Not here. Not now.

Instead, Gaius focused on his work. He'd finished fixing tools for Carlos and Carmen, and that would warrant him some gold. Fixing things for townsfolk was about the only thing he did nowadays that made him any money. He still forged weapons, but they were never used.

Not that it mattered to him. He wanted his work to be admired, not overused, sullied, and discarded like the common man's toy. So what if they sat in his shop and gathered dust?

Yeah...

So what.

He heard the swing of hinges and sat up. Familiar red hair caught his eye, and his heart filled with hope- which soon proved to be false, as he should have expected. Shara, the mayor's granddaughter, was standing in the doorway, examining the interior with a curious smile on her face.

Gaius himself forced one.

"Hello, Gaius!"

"Hello, Shara," he greeted her cheerfully, standing and wiping his hands on his pants. "What can I do for you?"

"Oh, well." Shara smiled. "Micah sent me with some of his tools to be prepared."

Gaius nodded understandingly. "I... see."

Shara's smiled soured into something resembling pity. "He's still reluctant to leave the Sharance Tree," she sighed. "He barely even goes to buy groceries, or get medicine, or... do anything, really."

"He's coping with something unimaginable," Gaius reminded her. "He lost the person he loved most in the world."

"I know. It's just..."

"He just needs time," Gaius added.

Shara met his eyes forlornly.

"It's been a year, Gaius."

"Yes... it has. But coping can be hard." Gaius chuckled dryly, without humor. "I know it can be for a fact."

"Oh, Gaius, I-"

"It's fine," he interrupted, holding up his hands. "Just... trust me when I say that sometimes, even years aren't enough."

Shara pursed her lips and looked down. "I- I know," she repeated. "I'm simply... worried for him."

"We all are. But he's strong."

"Right..."

"Well, Shara." He turned and put his gloves back on. "You should go home. This will take me a long time."

"Oh. Okay." Shara nodded. "But, um... I've got work to do. I'm not sure I can come back until tomorrow."

"Ah..." Gaius glanced back at her. "Don't worry. I'll just bring it to him."

"Oh, really?" she smiled, giggling. "Thank you, Gaius. I'm sure Micah will appreciate the friendly face."

"Heh heh..." Gaius turned back to the forge, smiling sadly. "I'm sure he will."

 

***

 

Gaius frowned at the tree before him. It was autumn, and the Sharance Tree was aflame with color. He personally preferred how it looked in the spring, but it was still beautiful... though he knew that the tree had still not truly bloomed. He didn't really know why... but he knew it had something to do with Micah.

He took a breath, holding Micah's tools-wrapped in cloth to protect them- and began up the steps. The inside was... quiet. There was a possibility that Micah was below, tending his crops and livestock, but it was late, thus Gaius didn't find it to be very likely.

Two knocks- two sharp raps, met with hollow sound- were placed upon the door.

Two more after a pause.

Gaius raised his hand to knock a third time when the door swung open.

Once-vibrant blue eyes trained on Gaius's face. A nod.

"Gaius."

Micah stood before him, the first time Gaius had seen him in nearly two seasons. The last time they'd spoken, Micah had been completely shattered- he'd lost weight; his eyes were framed by prominent bags; his blonde hair was in various states of disarray; his eyes had lost their spark, the very color of Micah's soul... gone.

He didn't look much better now.

"Hello, Micah," Gaius said, greeting his friend with a sad smile.

Micah did not return the gesture. He glanced at the bundle in Gaius's arms. "Are you here for a reason...?"

The dwarf's smile became somewhat more strained. This wasn't how he remembered his friend.

"I, ah..." Gaius lifted up what he was holding for Micah to see better. "I fixed your tools."

Micah regarded Gaius with large, disengaged eyes. "I can see that."

"You..." The dwarf felt a twinge. He didn't know why, but he felt it, and it wasn't good.

The man before him stared for a moment before sighing through his nose and stepping aside. "You can come in, if you want."

Gaius, not one to decline invitations, stepped into the Sharance Tree for the first time in years.

The space instead was large as ever- and clean, which surprised him. It looked as though no one had touched anything since he'd last been.

That was, save for Micah's sleeping area.

Everything there was cluttered- discarded rucksacks, eating utensils, blankets, books. The covers upon the bed were strewn about carelessly, and there was a clear impression in the mattress and sheets, as though the person who occupied that bed were there too oft for their own good.

Which Gaius knew to be unfortunately true.

Micah glanced back at his friend as the door shut. "Just set them with my weapons."

"Ah... right."

As he set the tools aside, Gaius watched Micah, whose gaze returned to the floor. The blonde sighed in earnest, running a hand through his hair- which was longer than Gaius remembered it to be.

"Are you alright?" Gaius asked, voice touched with concern.

Micah looked up at him, mostly expressionless, though there was an air of curiosity, as though he couldn't grasp as to why Gaius would ask such a question.

Eventually, he frowned and quietly answered, "No."

 

***

 

In all honesty, Gaius didn't think much of himself.

He was a funny guy. He was a nice person.

But he was also lazy, motivated by only his desire to forge weapons- which was natural, as a dwarf, and also something he considered a hobby rather than an actual occupation. He wasn't very driven in his convictions, as evidence by his failed attempts at many things, including running a shop and courting girls- two things he'd rather not do, though they interested him.

However, the one thing he  _did_ pride himself on was being there for the people he cared about.

Thus, when he saw Micah, in his dejected, melancholic state, Gaius realized he hand no choice but to care for the other man.

"You have to come to my house tomorrow."

At first, Micah had been confused.

"I don't understand," he'd said.

"You're in no shape to keep going on like this," Gaius had insisted. "Just... look at yourself, Micah."

"I'm..." Micah had paused, closed his eyes, and turned away. "... _Fine_."

"You're not," Gaius insisted. "Trust me. I know how you feel. At least to an extent."

Micah didn't answer.

"Let me help you."

The blonde sighed. "I... I'm tired of being alone, Gaius."

"Trust me, I am to."

"I..." Micah took a deep breath. "I'll come by your shop tomorrow. If only for a bit."

Gaius smiled a little. "That's great, Micah."

"Yeah." Micha looked away. "Well."

"I'll see you then, yeah?"

"Sure."

Gaius began to leave, but as he reached the door, he said, "Micah... I miss her too."

"...I know."

"I'll always be here for you. Okay?"

"..."

Gaius sighed, then stepped out. "I'll see you tomorrow, Micah."

"...See you."

The dwarf exited, letting the door shut behind him.

He didn't know how his relationship with Micah had fared after spending so much time apart, but...

Gaius knew that he wanted to neither lose his friend, nor see him at his lowest if there were anything he could do to stop it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want, please leave a comment. I don't even care what it is as long as you're not being a jerk for no reason. Otherwise, continue with your life as usual.


	2. A Day Before Tomorrow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gaius and Micah bond over the loss of Raven when Micah comes to Gaius's shop.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ayyyy I'm back ~~eight months later~~ , haha ready to be sad again?

Gaius hadn't counted upon Micah actually showing up, but was glad that he did.

The dwarf himself had decided the day before, once he'd returned home, that he was going to clean. His inventory had been cluttered and strewn about the shop for months. Gaius supposed he just hadn't found the drive to do much after Raven's passing.

And thus he'd spent the greater part of his day cleaning, waiting for his friend to arrive.

Gaius heard the door open around noon... or, four o' clock, by the looks of the sun outside of the window. He'd been at it all day; he must have lost track of time.

"...Hello?"

"I'm over here!" Gaius chuckled, walking down the stairs to see Micah standing in the entryway, holding his rucksack in his hands rather than on his back. He still looked forlorn, but he'd cleaned up a bit since the prior day, by the looks of his fresh-but-still-wrinkled clothes and brushed hair. His blue eyes scanned the shop, seemingly disinterested, but he then pointed out, "It's changed."

"Oh- the shop?" Gaius laughed as he reached Micah and ran a hand through his unruly black hair (or... tried to). "Yeah, I thought it was about time to do some spring cleaning."

Micah gave a dry smile. "You know it's autumn, right?"

"Heh heh... uh..."

"I'm just messing with you."

Gaius chuckled nervously. "Er, right, right."

Micah smiled for a bit more, but as he looked around, it soon fell. His blue eyes focused on the nook where Raven used to sell Gaius's wares. It was untouched, a layer of dust growing over everything. Gaius walked past it every day, but it was very rare that he worked up the nerve to look at it.

"Micah-"

"So what did you have in mind?" he interrupted before Gaius could continue, staring him down with somber azure eyes. "I hope you didn't just invite me here to stare at me aimlessly."

"No, nothing like that," the dwarf sighed. He put his hand on the banister. "Do you... do you want to come upstairs?"

"Sure." Micah walked past Gaius, pausing as he did so, as if he wanted to say something, before continuing upstairs without a word.

Gaius sighed once more before following his friend.

 

***

 

Gaius would have liked to say he welcomed his guest warmly and they proceeded to have a nice, delightful chat.

In actuality, neither of them spoke much, instead standing in awkward silence. Micah seemed to want to be left alone, so Gaius let him poke around the upstairs for a bit while he sat on his own bed, sharpening his greatsword with a whetstone. He eventually lost track of time, focusing solely on his weapon, forgetting about everything else, just the way he liked.

It wasn't long, however, before he heard strange noises coming from elsewhere in the upstairs.

He looked up. "Micah?"

There was no answer, but the sound  _did_ get softer.

Gaius set down his weapon and whetstone, sliding off of his bed. Micah was nowhere to be found.

"Micah?" he called again, met with the same response as before. Listening closer, he realized it was coming from Raven's room.

The door to his adoptive sister's room was slightly ajar, opened for the first time in a year. Like her spot downstairs, Raven's room had accumulated a thick coating of dust. Gaius still hadn't gone in, unable to bring himself to.

"Micah?"

He was standing with his back facing Gaius, holding a book in his hand easily recognizable as Raven's Diary. Micah clearly hadn't heard him, as he continued running his fingers down a particular page.

"Micah."

Micah yelped and turned, dropping the book, which landed on the floor with a loud  _thud_.

"G-Gaius," Micah said, clamping a hand to his mouth. His face was streaked with tears. The sound Gaius had heard had been his crying. "I- I didn't-"

Wordlessly, Gaius walked up, leaned over, and picked up Raven's book. Micah pursed his lips, watching.

"She never wanted me reading this, you know," Gaius muttered, closing the book and stroking its spine. He chuckled sadly. "Ah, I found it strange that she didn't seem to mind you reading it, though. Well... I did until I realized she loved you."

Micah looked away. "I-I'm sorry."

"Don't be."

"I just... I wanted to feel her again. I wanted to feel like she was still here, with me." Micah looked directly into Gaius's eyes. "Does... does that make sense?"

Gaius felt his heart twinge ever so slightly. "Yeah. It does."

Neither feeling the need to reprimand Micah, nor to get angry, Gaius pressed the book into his hands. "Here."

"Why... why are you giving this to me?"

"I'm not going to look in it," Gaius explained. "If Raven never let me look in it during her life, I won't have her privacy invaded posthumously. But you... she trusted you, loved you enough to share her deepest secrets that she wouldn't even show me. Her diary would bring you more comfort than it could ever bring me, rotting away here on her bedside table, never to be touched.

As he was handed the book, Micah handled it with care and regarded it with wide eyes, as if it were too delicate and fragile to be handled with anything but the utmost care.

"Thank..." Micah bit his lip as he started to tear up again. "Thank you..."

"Hey..." Gaius held out his arms, and Micah wrapped his own around him in a tight hug. "I know a lot of people in town probably don't understand-"

"They don't. None of them do," Micah whispered, his arms gripping Gaius tighter.

"I know. But  _I_ do."

"...I know."

"I don't think you do."

Micah didn't respond.

Gaius took a deep breath. "Listen, Micah. If you ever need anything... don't hesitate to call me, okay? Anything that's happening, anything you're going through... I want to help you through it, okay?"

"O... okay."

Micah didn't sound too sure, but Gaius didn't care. He was just happy he was starting to get through to his friend.

He hugged him tighter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Um. If you want to be less sad.  
> [This](https://jamespeppersalt.tumblr.com/post/164129537657/jynpoe-honestly-i-went-into-this-for-the-meme) is what I was listening to when I was editing this chapter


End file.
